Logan McCool thrives despite spina bifida diagnosis

The Trussville Rotary Club recently had a special guest in May as they welcomed Logan McCool, a precocious soon-to-be first grader. Along with her parents, Candice and James, Logan was on hand to celebrate her life and strength in the face of adversity due to a severe form of spina bifida.

The McCools, who have been married 11 years, tried for several years to start a family, but faced difficulties along the way. Candice McCool endured two miscarriages and lost her left fallopian tube before finally becoming pregnant with Logan. However, during a 17-week ultrasound, in which they fully inspected the baby’s anatomy, the McCools were informed there were some problems with the baby.

“The blood test ahead of time looked great, but the anatomy scan showed some abnormalities,” Candice said. “They sent us to a high-risk OB, and that is the one who diagnosed her with spina bifida.”

Specifically, the McCools’ baby was diagnosed with a form of spina bifida, myelomeningoceles, that is both rare and the most severe. In Logan’s case, the opening in her back was complete, all the way down to the spine, and was an abnormally large opening, extending from her L1 vertebrae to her L5 vertebrae. As he explained the diagnosis, Candice said the obstetrician painted a stark and depressing picture of what was to come.

“High-risk OBs, in their defense, don’t get to see the kids after they’re born and see what kind of quality of life they have. They’re basically just regurgitating what they learned in books,” she said. 

“He said with her lesion level starting at L1, she would have no quality of life. She wouldn’t be able to eat or breathe on her own, she would not be able to control her bowel and bladder, she would have to wear a trach and she may die of SIDS shortly after birth,” Candice added. “He just gave us such a bleak prognosis.” 

During the discussion, the obstetrician offered to put the McCools in touch with a specialist in Georgia who could help them terminate the pregnancy. However, after enduring so much difficulty in trying to start their family, the McCools refused to entertain the idea, even as they prepared for the worst and leaned on their faith and network of friends and family for support.

“First of all, we were devastated. This was a child that we had wanted so dearly and I had done everything right,” Candice said. “My husband and I said ‘No. She is loved. We have wanted this child for many, many years.’ And so we just put it in God’s hands.”

“We had a really great network of friends in our church group that just basically laid hands on us,” she added. “That’s what got us through the unknown of being pregnant with her, because we didn’t know what to expect when she was born.”

The McCools were soon referred to Dr. Jeffrey Blount, chief of pediatric neurosurgery with the Comprehensive Spina Bifida Program at Children’s Hospital of Alabama. While Dr. Blount wasn’t able to predict exactly what the McCools’ lives would be like once Logan was born, he was calm, reassuring and knowledgeable. A self-described planner by nature, Candice said Dr. Blount and the entire team in the spina bifida clinic helped her calm her fears and provided a more positive glimpse of what to expect. 

“For an entire hour, he sat down with us and said, ‘Let me tell you about the kind of life that these kids can have,” she said. “‘You know, we don’t know what to expect, so I can give you the best-case scenario.’”

During the meeting, Candice said Dr. Blount laid out the care plan once Logan arrived, including the number and types of surgeries she would need within 24 hours after birth, and how they would manage bowel and bladder issues as Logan grows. Best of all, Blount informed the McCools that Logan’s brain was in good shape and not to expect any cognitive delays. 

Logan is now six years old and will begin first grade in the fall. She is bright, interested in everything and loves to tell jokes, including a knee slapper she told to this reporter: “How do you make a robot mad? By pushing his buttons.”

Additionally, Logan doesn’t let using a wheelchair slow her down. She’s involved in tons of extracurricular activities, with accommodations made for her to ensure she’s able to participate with other children. “She’s involved in everything now from horseback riding to karate twice a week. She has done dance, ballet and tap, and they have just figured out ways for her to participate using her hands,” Candice said.

Logan is one of ten children chosen to represent the Children’s Miracle Network. Throughout the nation, her face and story can be seen in television commercials, print ads and other media to help raise funds for the organization. 

“When she was born, she defied all the odds,” Candice said. “She is our little miracle child.”